" Knott Rigg / Ard Crag "

Date & start time: Tuesday 6th March 2012, 11.45 am start.

Location of Start : Newlands Hause, Buttermere, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 230 232 )

Places visited : Knott Rigg, Ard Crags and back.

Walk details : 3.5 mls, 1200 ft of ascent, 2 hrs 21 mins.

Highest point : Ard Crags 1906 ft - 581 m.

Walked with : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Sunny periods but with a keen wind from the west at times.

A reasonably fine day but with a poor forecast for the afternoon,

so we set off for a late morning walk in the Buttermere Valley driving up Newlands Pass

to start the walk across the lovely short ridge which combines two summits with plenty of views.

Newlands Hause looking across to Moss Force.	Looking the other way, Ann is already climbing Knott Rigg.

Full of beans . . . or was it Burns !

Whatever it was, they were having a mad time and were glad to be out.

We were glad to be out too, as we climbed steadily up Knott Rigg.

Very little chance of warming up exercises on this route as it is out of the car and straight into the climb.

I haven't measured it . . . but that looks greater than a 1 in 3 incline !

Topping out on the first part of the climb and there's a reasonably level section now.

All around there are fine views from this small but central fell.

To our left, Addacomb Hole surrounded by Wandope, Crag Hill with a small cap of snow and Sail Fell.

Ahead is Ard Crags . . . behind it are Causey Pike and more distant Blencathra.

Catbells, looking good in the sunshine . . . I wonder how many folk are up there today.

A change of emphasis as the sunshine moves off Catbells and onto The Dodds behind.

There was an arm of cloud blowing up the valley from Thirlmere over Dunmail Rise,

but it never extended far enough to hide Clough Head, despite its best efforts.

Every now and again we would turn and catch sight of some bright sun behind us . . . this time on Whiteless Pike.

Ard Crags but not an 'ard walk.

I swap places with Ann and catch a wider shot of her with the iconic ridge of Causey Pike behind.

We were sharing one camera today.

The summit of Ard Crags looks down . . . and I mean looks straight down . . . on Keskadale Farm.

The native Oak Woodland extends from the hillside above the farm to the top of Ill Gill Valley below us.

It survived the rigours of the industrial revolution and is now a protected wildlife site.

Sometimes it is just nice to sit for a while.

Ann looks across at the snow topped peaks of Wandope and Crag Hill opposite.

With a keen and cool breeze we can't stay too long . . .

so with our jackets zipped and hat and gloves firmly in place, we start our way back.

The three guys we passed on the way out are doubling back to Keskadale using the other shoulder for their descent.

The High Stile Ridge still has a covering of snow behind them.

Part way back we pass a small fenced pond . . .	. . . and in the water, iced up frog spawn.

Apparently there are upland places in the lakes where it is so cold and nutrients are a problem

that the tadpoles take two seasons to mature into frogs . . . I wonder if the pond up here is one such place ?

Ready for the steep descent that will take us back to the car.

Did we climb up that ?

Is the car still down there ?

Is it just me . . . or do I feel lunch is due ?

Yes, Yes, and Yes to that.

It's two o'clock and I'm sure Ann will feel a little peckish once we start our way home.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with my Canon G10 camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . a couple of mad dogs.

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Previous walk - 3rd March 2012 Afternoon Light on Barrow

A previous time up here - 3rd June 2003 Knott Rig from Newlands Hause

Next walk - 15th March 2012 Rosthwaite & Milican Dalton's Cave